VOL. 3 NO. 3 MAY -JUN 1983 FEATURES CLOSE ASSAULT 6 Review and Analysis Bob Proctor FillADVENTURE GAME CONTEST 7 in the Crossword Puzzle COMPUTER AMBUSH 10 Review and Analysis David Long PINBALL CONSTRUCTION SET 12 A Toy for AH Ages John Besnard WHEN SUPERPOWERS COLLIDE 14 Part 1 Germany 1985 Maj Mike Chamberlain GALACTIC ATTACK! 19 Sir-tech's Space Combat Game Dick Richards TELE-GAMING 20 A New Column Patricia Fitzgibbons THE NAME OF THE GAME 22 A New Column by Jon Freeman TWO COMPUTER BASEBALL LEAGUES 23 Two leagues for SSI's Computer Baseball Stanley Greenlaw CHESS 7.0 33 Odesta's Program Evaluated Floyd Mathews Departments Inside the Industry 2 Hobby and Industry News 3 Taking a peek 4 Silicon Cerebrum 13 Atari Arena 28 The Learning Game 30 Microcomputer Mathemagic 34 Route 80 35 Micro-Reviews 36 Reader Input Device 47 INSIDE THE INDUSTRY by Dana Lombardy, Associate Publisher Game Merchandising This issue we're going to look at the order them in the quantities they can with one of his new games, when another nearly thirty computer games that have handle. publisher may be selling twice as many been on the best-sellers lists for months. of his slowest-selling game! Because they As you can see, wholesalers are im- There was a time when a new game really are in the "middle" of things, portant to the software industry. And program came out, sold out, and then wholesalers can provide a much more because of their unique position, they the next new program came along to accurate picture of the overall software have a perspective on what's happening replace it and repeat the cycle. A game's market. that can be more accurate than a poll of "life-span" at the store was measured in stores or publishers. The following 27 games have been on weeks. wholesalers' best-sellers lists for at least For example, your local store may be But this has been changing. Several five months. This, in itself, should tell selling a lot of one particular game, but games have been continuing to sell well you something about the quality of the other stores around the country may for months, despite the hundreds (no games in terms of play value, replay not be doing so well with it. Also, a exaggeration) of games that have come interest, word-of-mouth support, and publisher may think he's doing great q out since these games were first intro- value for the money. duced. This interesting list was compiled from "hot sellers" lists provided by wholesalers. Wholesalers are middlemen in the computer game industry. They buy software programs in volume from publishers ("vendors"), and then sell them in smaller amounts to individual retail stores. Since there are literally thousands of stores and departments nationwide that sell software, whole- salers fulfill a real service to both retailers and game publishers. A software publisher likes working through a wholesaler because they then need to work with only a few dozen accounts for shipping and billing, in- stead of hundreds or even thousands of individual stores each requiring in- dividual shipments and individual bills. Retailers like working with whole- salers because they sell literally hundreds of different companies' products. Try counting the number of different software publishers on the shelves in your local store next time you're there. (The January-February issue of CGW listed 1982 releases from more than 130 game publishers!) A store is only run by a few people, and even with the help of a computer (no pun intended), it would be very difficult to work with so many different software publishers. Therefore, retailers like working with just a few distributors through whom they can get nearly all the software programs they need — and Counterpoint Software Inc. announced the next to tournament level play. HARD HAT MAC by Mike HOBBY AND product in its Early Games for Young Children Abbott and Matt Alexander formerly with Cavalier series, Early Games Music. Designed for children Computer. HHM is an arcade game that takes place ages 4 to 12, the program is available for the IBM- on a construction site. "A favorite around the office" INDUSTRY NEWS PC, C-64, Apple 11+, and Apple Ile computers. according to Ybarra. Two other releases are AXIS ASSASSIN and WORMS?. Both games use geometric figures. The former has certain similarities to the Creative Software has moved into new offices at HomeComputer Software of Sunnyvale is offering coin-op game Tempest and the later is actually 230 E. Caribbean Dr., Sunnyvale, CA 94086. A large Family Bible Fun, a series of Bible games for the based on an article on mathematically games which independent publisher of software programs for Apple and Atari home computers. The games, on appeared in Scientific American. The game make the VIC-20 and C-64, they will be entering the TI diskettes, cover Biblical themes graded for primary, uses instructions from the player to begin produc- 99/4A and Timex 2000 markets by June of this year. junior and adult levels. Using animation and sound, ing geometric figures. The program will continue to each contains learning activities ranging from word create patterns based on the most recent instruc- Originally produced for use on Apple computers, puzzles and games to true-false, multiple choice tions received. EVOLUTION, by Sydney Development Corporation, and matching quizzes. Subjects include David, Great will soon be available in versions for the C-64 and Men of the Bible, The Life of Christ, Book of Acts, Old IBM-PC microcomputers. Sydney's second Ottawa- Testament Prophets, Patriarchs and general produced game will be "Quest for Tires," in- Biblical lore. In addition to these releases, EA will release the corporation the characters from "B.C." and Atari version of PINBALL CONSTRUCTION SET by "Wizard of Id." Electronic Arts, a new computer game manu- Bill Budge. Bill is a "signed artist" with EA and will facturer, begins shipping product in May. Among be doing other games for them. All initial EA COMPUTERWARE introduced six new arcade their first releases is ARCHON by Jon Freeman and releases are for the Atari 400/800. Most will be on games on cassette and disk for the Radio Shack Ann Westfall. The game will be played on two levels. the Apple and C-64 later. Color Computer and TDP System 100. They are The strategic level is somewhat like chess. You move Grand Prix, Moon Hopper, Nerble Force, Block your fantasy units across the board to encounter Head, Shark Treasure and Megapede. EPYX has enemy fantasy units. When two units are in the SSI will release COMBAT LEADER in June. CL expanded its list of games for the IBM-PC and the same "square" battle ensues. The screen is filled (Atari 48K) is a game of tactical armored warfare in VIC-20. Added for the IBM-PC are Star Warrior with the terrain of the "square" and a hi-res tactical the 20th century. The game is in real time against ($39.95), Jabbertalky ($ 29.95), and Crush, battle takes place between the occupants. Another the computer and from a bird's eye view. The real Crumble, Chomp!($29.95). Added for the VIC-20 game, also by Jon and Anne is MURDER ON THE time aspect, ease of play and realism makes this a are Invasion Orion($24.95), and Datestones of ZINDERNEUF which is scheduled for a June release. new generation game according to Joel Billings, Ryn($19.95). MOTZ is a repeatable mystery game in which the president of SSI. GEOPOLITIC 1990 is due out in player takes the role of a detective on the German late June for the Apple. The statistics-based boxing EPYX has also expanded its line to include games dirigible which is returning from the 1936 Berlin game, RINGSIDE SEAT will be out in July for the for the Commodore 64 personal computer. The Olympics. There is a murder, and there are 15 Apple and C-64. It even has color commentary. first game released for the C-64 will be Temple of suspects. Apshai($39.95), to be followed by Upper Reaches of A WWI air game for the Atari (with Apple and Apshai($ 19.95), Curse of Ra ($19.95), Crush, Dan Bunten's release for EA is M.U.L.E., a game of C-64 conversions) will be out in August. Gary Crumble, Chomp! ($29.95), and Sword of planetary colonization and resource management. Grigsby's WAR IN RUSSIA will be out in 1984. This Fargoal($29.95). The game is somewhat like Monopoly in that the one is even a bigger monster than Guadalcanal players buy and sell parcels of land. "Great graphics, Campaign. Expect a price higher than GCC's $59.95. Synapse Software has announced that it is animation and sound" according to Joe Ybarra, BROADSIDES, a detailed historical simulation of poised to launch 32 new game, educational, and Producer at EA. The game is layered from a novice fighting sail will be out later this year. utility programs for the VIC-20, TI99/4A, C-64, IBM- PC, Apple II, and Radio Shack Color Computer. The slated new releases are to include Pharoah's Curse, Fort Apocalypse, Necromancer, and Shamus: Case II. MUSE Software has released its popular Castle Wolfenstein for the Atari 400/800. 32K ($29.95). Edu-Ware Services, of Agoura Hills, California and Sweet MicroSystems, of Providence, Rhode Island announced a hardware/software joint venture which will result in a biofeedback mouse for Apple, Apple II, II+, and Ile.